The Call
by TriciaMacMillan
Summary: The call Bella makes to Rosalie in Breaking Dawn. "She and I were the only ones who could understand. This baby was worth dying for." For Twilighted's Missing Moments Challenge. NOW EXTENDED.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does. No copyright infringement is intended.**

"Rosalie?" I whispered. "It's Bella. Please. You have to help me."

"Bella?" Her voice was a mixture of surprise and concern. "What's wrong?"

What's wrong? That was the very question I wanted to ask Edward.

I was overjoyed. Ecstatic. _Complete_. I never knew that a part of me was missing—a part of my heart, my soul, my very being. I had already been blessed beyond compare; I had Edward. It seemed so unfair to think that I could have even _more_.

Edward had my whole heart. It had never occurred to me that he would have to share.

Before I could stop it, a tearless sob escaped my throat.

"_Bella?_" There was alarm in her voice now. "Bella, what is it? Are you okay? You're scaring me. Where's Edward?"

"No, it's fine. We're both fine." I tried to sound reassuring, but my voice came out in a hoarse whisper, and I probably sounded like I was being held hostage. "I'm… I'm _pregnant_."

I heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone line.

Silence.

"Is—Is that… _possible_?"

"Apparently," I breathed.

"Wow."

I gave her a minute to process what I had just told her before continuing. "Edward is furious. He wants to bring me to Carlisle, to 'take care of this.' I'm scared, Rose. I am scared to death, but not of the same thing that Edward is. _I can't lose my baby_." I choked the words out at a speed only a vampire could understand.

"Edward wants _what_?!" All the shock and hesitance had left her completely, replaced immediately with fury. For once, her passion and tenacity—or pigheadedness—did not intimidate me. It was exactly the reason I had chosen to call _her_, of all people. It was exactly what I needed, and she was the only one who could help now.

"Please help me." I hardly mouthed the words, but I knew she would hear me.

"Believe me, Bella. I will _not_ let anything happen to your baby. _I will not_." She spoke so certainly that I couldn't doubt her. "I'm in this with you. I promise."

Whether from the pregnancy hormones or Rosalie's touching words, I couldn't tell—but I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. They streamed down my face, and I wiped them away with my sleeve.

"Thank you."

"When are you coming back?"

"Edward has already talked to Carlisle. We're leaving right away."

"I'll be there the second you get off the plane. I don't care what Carlisle says. We'll all be there to meet you, and I won't let them anywhere near you until they agree to _our _terms." She was businesslike now, but heavy emotion slipped into her words. "The baby is our number one priority."

"Of course," I agreed. I felt queasy when I thought of the objections Edward would have to that statement.

"How are you feeling right now, Bella?" she said, more gently. "Will the baby be okay in your body? You're only a human…"

"I don't know, Rose. It's all happening so fast. This morning, I thought babies were an impossibility for Edward and I. Now, I'm having morning sickness. I'm getting cravings. I'm eating for two. I'm sleeping all day. _I have a bump_. There is something _growing_ inside of me. My baby is kicking me!" I couldn't hold off the hysteria any longer. "And my husband wants to kill it!"

I burst into maniacal laughter as the tears continued to fall. It was all too much for me. Too much, too soon. No, I guess that's not strictly true—I could never have been prepared for this.

"Shh, Bella. It'll all be fine. Don't freak out; think of the baby."

So I did.

I thought of little Edward Jacob—it would be tough to get Edward to agree to that one, but I would try—Cullen. My EJ. He would be just like his father in every way. He would be beautiful and smart and talented and passionate. Definitely musical. He would be mine and Edward's. A symbol of our love, our unbreakable bond.

I envisioned him sitting next to his father on the piano bench, his bronze hair uncombed. I watched them play together, making the most beautiful music I could imagine. I stood nearby, looking at my little boy with all the love and pride with which I had often seen Esme look at Edward. He would grow to be a fine man, like his father. I couldn't be happier.

"Bella?" Rosalie was hesitant again.

"Yes, Rose, I'm fine," I choked. "I'm… more than fine. I'm wonderful."

"Oh. Good." She was obviously pleased. "The baby needs you to be sane, I think."

"I know. I just wish Edward would love this baby like I do."

"Oh, he'll come around," she said dismissively. "Don't worry about him. I'll take care of everything. _You_ just keep that baby healthy and safe."

Rosalie's harsh disregard for anyone but the baby barely even registered for me. Her one-track mind was exactly what I wanted. She and I were the only ones who could understand. We were the only ones who knew that my baby's life was worth more than mine. This baby was worth dying for.

_But I will not die_. I could not die. I could not die, because I could not kill Edward.

I would be strong.

"Thank you for understanding, Rosalie. You're the only one who can."

"I know," she said sadly. "Bella, I would die before I let anything hurt the baby."

"I know you would. Listen, I have to go now. I'll see you soon."

"Take care of yourself. For the baby's sake. Bye, Bella."

I owed Rosalie everything for this.

Just as I placed the phone down, Edward rounded the corner. There was a hard look on his face, and a strange emptiness in his eyes.

"Bella?"

I couldn't look at him.

"Coming," I muttered. He turned away, and I followed after him, rubbing my newly bloated belly, giving me strength to take every step.

**Like it? Hate it? Let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This story was only ever meant to be a one-shot about the phone call--until it started getting story alerts, and a reviewer mentioned that I should continue. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea. The next big section in Breaking Dawn is from Jacob's POV; what about Bella? What about Rosalie? How does Edward react at first, and when does he become the total mess he is when Jacob sees him?**

**I'm roaming into fairly unknown territory here, so my idea of the story may not exactly match up to what you imagined. Either way, I hope you can enjoy this for what it is.**

I vomited twice on the flight home. A half-vampire fetus plus a half-day of air travel equals one sick Bella.

The hours passed in silence, save the sound of the wind passing over the wings. Edward said a few words, but I made it clear that I wasn't ready to talk. He held me protectively, and held my hair back as needed. I avoided his eyes, for the most part. I wasn't ready to face the guilt and the panic I knew they would hold.

I was already feeling so maternal. My hands flew to my belly during the turbulence, and again during the rough landing of the small aircraft. During those times, Edward fidgeted impatiently, shooting daggers in the direction of the cockpit—possibly contemplating a hijack. He could probably fly the plane better than the pilot.

When we were finally safe at the airport in Seattle, Edward insisted on carrying all of our bags himself, including my purse.

"You know, normal humans can't carry three large suitcases," I warned.

"If anyone asks, I'll say they're full of pillows," he replied, determined.

It wasn't that I didn't want Edward's protection—but his protectiveness of _me_ was the very reason he wanted to destroy what was growing inside of me. His child. Vomit crept up my throat for the third time, and I swallowed it back.

Edward set the slow pace as we walked hand in hand. When we got to the baggage claim, I saw my new family waiting for us.

Carlisle was already looking straight at Edward, communicating something. His expression was hard. He was not Carlisle, my father-in-law; he was Dr. Cullen. Esme was at his side, holding on to his arm. Her eyes were filled with love and concern, darting back and forth between Edward, me, and my stomach.

Alice's face was serious, and she was concentrating very hard on something. It was a look I knew well: she was searching for a vision. I wondered idly why she hadn't seen anything about this before; regardless, I was grateful. Jasper stood back, distancing himself from the group. He looked pained. Today would not be a fun day to be empathic.

Emmett merely looked confused.

Then I saw her. Something clicked inside of me, and I pulled my hand out of Edward's, running towards Rosalie with my arms wide open. She stepped forward and embraced me eagerly, and, for a moment, I was completely reassured. We would figure this out, Rosalie and I. We would protect my baby.

After a few short seconds, I stepped away to observe the damage.

Edward and Carlisle were staring at Rosalie, clearly in shock. Esme and Alice looked at me with a similar expression. Emmett's eyes flitted everywhere, taking in the reactions, and Jasper backed slowly away from the group, no longer able to handle the proximity of such intense emotions.

The shock soon made way for other feelings.

After being part of the Cullens' lives for a year and a half, I was gradually becoming desensitized to them. Their supernatural beauty didn't always make me gasp like it used to; their powers seemed like nothing out of the ordinary; their habits became almost mundane. Most of the time, it was easy to forget that they weren't like me. They weren't _human_.

When the fight broke out, I had never been more aware of the fact that I was surrounded by a coven of vampires.

Edward and Rosalie were standing nose-to-nose, furious. Edward's lips were moving fast, but the words were too low for me to hear. Rosalie was holding her ground. Alice pushed in between them, moving her lips in Rosalie's direction and giving Edward pointed glances. Esme looked overwhelmed, and Carlisle was comforting her with more silent words. To me—and to all the humans nearby—it looked like a cast of movie stars filming a very emotional scene in a silent film. But there was no camera rolling, and no other logical explanation for the chaos going on in front of my eyes.

They moved just a fraction too quickly. They spoke a little too quietly. Their eyes had a bit too much fire in them. It was too much for me.

To know that this was my baby they were fighting about.

Life or death.

My body broke out in a cold sweat. The sounds around me seemed to rise rapidly in pitch before fading out completely. My senses were leaving me, one by one. I tried to ease myself to the floor, but, suddenly, I wasn't quite sure which way was down. My eyes clouded over.

Darkness overtook me, before I could even feel the thud I was expecting. The thud of hitting something rock hard.

_My poor baby._

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	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the positive feedback! My email account screwed up, so I couldn't reply to all of the reviews. Sorry, guys! But, even though I couldn't reply, I still really appreciate all of you. :D**

**Also, I'm toying with the idea of possibly having a beta. I've never had one before, so I'm not sure, but, if any of you are betas or know any good ones, let me know!**

Cold hands pressed against my chest and face, and I could feel their panic and desperation.

_Edward._

My eyes weren't ready to open—sorry, Edward; not quite yet. The surface underneath me felt soft, like a bed. How long had I been out?

"Rose, honey," said a soothing, pleading voice from across the room. "You're outnumbered."

The hands on my skin trembled as Edward growled, "This issue is not up for _vote_. This is her _life_ we're talking about."

"You're absolutely right," Rosalie snapped. "This issue is_ not_ going to be decided by a vote." Silence fell over the room, and it didn't take a mind-reader to know exactly what Rosalie was yelling silently to Edward.

His hands tightened against my cheek. "_No._"

She laughed humourlessly. "Haven't you ever heard of a woman's right to choose? Too bad for you, Bella's pro-life."

An unpleasant warmth spread through me as Edward's cool body left my side. "No, I will _not_ let you—"

"Edward!" Carlisle reproached. "Bella deserves to be heard before any of us make any rash decisions. She'll be awake soon. Calm yourself." Edward returned to me, taking my hand. His unnecessary breaths were slow and heavy, emphasized out of emotion.

"I don't understand why I can't see anything!" Alice breathed in confusion and frustration.

Her words jolted something in my brain, and I realized that I was now perfectly capable of opening my eyes. When had my blindness become self-imposed? My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself on the Cullens' couch, surrounded my new family.

"Bella?"

Before I could respond, Edward's lips were pressed hard against mine, filled with conflict and emotion. He could not cry, so his kiss showed me what tears could not. He pulled away slowly, whispering, "I love you. _So_ much. Now, what the hell were you thinking?"

His eyes bore into mine, so full of love and pain. It hurt to look at him, but I couldn't be a coward and turn away. His whole body was tight, as if he was waiting for a blow to the stomach.

"I'm going to have this baby," I whispered back.

He struggled to compose his expression, to hide the thousand feelings he wasn't ready to let loose.

Denial.

"No," he said, firmly. "No, Bella, you're not. That is absolutely out of the question."

However irrationally, my indignation flared, just as it had always done with Charlie. "Yes, I am," I said stubbornly.

He responded in kind. "No, you most certainly are not. We're getting that thing out of you. Today."

Rosalie was at my side in a flash. "That _thing_ is your child, and it's staying put," she growled. She stood over me, sheltering my belly from unseen danger.

"That _thing_ is not a child!" Edward yelled. "It's a monster!"

"Please, Edward."

I already knew how he felt; I knew the words were coming, but it was no less devastating to finally hear them out loud. Tears were welling up in my eyes, and, when Edward saw, his face softened slightly.

"I can't lose you."

"You won't." I tried to sound confident, and failed miserably.

"Dammit, Bella! Why are you doing this to me?" His whole body shook with emotion, and his grip tightened on my hand. I let out an involuntary whimper, and Edward froze. He pulled my hand close to his face, taking in the damage that he had done. Purplish bruises were forming underneath my knuckles, and Edward looked revolted. He dropped my hand like pot of boiling water.

"I don't—"

"I have to go," he said, leaving the room at vampire speed. Before I could even call his name, the door was slammed shut and he was gone.

The tears overflowed now, and I didn't try to keep them in. The rest of the family watched me sympathetically, and Esme gave me a light hug.

"He loves you more than you know. He'll be back soon," she said. I could only nod in response.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "If the rest of you don't mind, I'd like to speak with Bella privately for a moment." Esme gave me a small smile and hurried out, followed by Jasper, who looked stressed and eager to get away. Alice gave me a light kiss on the cheek before rushing after her husband. Rosalie glared at Carlisle, as if warning him not to touch me. Emmett took her hand and lead her out of the room reluctantly.

Carlisle's warm eyes were wary and tired as he sat down across from me.

"Bella," he began. Not Carlisle. Dr. Cullen, again. "We have several options…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Voting is now open for Twilighted's Missing Moments Challenge! It's an awesome site for fanfiction, so check out, and vote for your favourites in each of the challenge categories! The link is on my profile.**

**I think the name of this story needs to be changed now that it's not just the call, but I don't know what to change it to. Any suggestions?**

"Bella," he began. Not Carlisle. Dr. Cullen, again. "We have several options…"

"I've already made my decision," I said with certainty.

He sighed in a very human way. "Please, hear me out." I nodded. "You've been with Edward long enough that you've seen what a vampire can be: you've watched us fight, you've seen us struggle with our own nature, you've even felt the potency of our venom in your bloodstream. We are highly dangerous creatures, Bella—even those of us who have worked to retain as much of our humanity as possible. You have to understand that what is growing inside of you is _not Edward_. It is not Alice, or Esme, or myself. It cannot control itself the way we can."

He leaned forward in earnest. "We alter our own nature every second that we spend with you, but what is inside of your body cannot do that. Its powers are unbridled and unrestrained. Bella, without control, there is no telling what harm this may cause you."

I already knew that. I hadn't broken it down in so many words, but I knew all of it. He was completely right.

And it didn't change a thing.

"I understand the risks," I replied slowly. He nodded, comprehending.

"Let's discuss your options. The first—which both Edward and I very _strongly_ believe you should choose—is"—he looked me in the eye in a very strict, fatherly way—"immediate removal. I could get what I need from the hospital, and it could be taken care of right away. Within the hour. There is no way to know for sure, of course, but I am confident the procedure would be perfectly safe for you. It would be over by tomorrow, and all of this could be put behind us."

My voice didn't waver as I said, "And option two?"

He let out another long sigh. "You won't like option two very much." He hesitated, then continued. "Edward's contingency plans. He is willing to do whatever it takes to have the th—er, _it_ removed, whether or not you cooperate. Quite frankly, I would be willing to assist him if it came to that."

I froze at his words, and an irrational fear washed through me. A very silly part of my brain was yelling _get out!_—but it wasn't as if Carlisle was planning on holding me down and cutting me open this very second, in the middle of the living room. Still, though, I felt as if my air had been cut off. _EJ. _No. _You can't touch my EJ_, my mind screamed.

"Edward—" I gasped out. "He wouldn't—do that—"

"Edward only wants to keep you safe."

"I—I'll talk to him." I panicked as I thought of how Edward—my wonderful, sweet, kind, _rash_ husband—had run out of the house. "I'll make him understand…" I could hear the doubt in my voice; it was almost too much. _No!_

Carlisle could see the mess of emotions displayed across my face, so he quickly came to my rescue. "Option three is that we let this continue for a while, and see how things go…"

Yes.

This was my choice. It was the best I was going to get.

He could see the hope begin to shine through the misery in my expression, so he added, "We'll just _see_. Option three doesn't eliminate the possibilities of options one and two, Bella," he warned. "It would most likely only be prolonging the inevitable, adding to the risks, worsening your health—"

"I'll take my chances," I cut him off. I expected him to look disapproving, but his face only showed concern and exhaustion. Odd how a sleepless vampire could look so _tired_…

"I've never seen anything like this, in all my years," he admitted, shaking his head. "I have no idea what to expect." We stared at each other in reflective silence for several moments. "Bella, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Esme cannot bear to lose another child," he added kindly, squeezing my hand lightly.

My eyes began to water once more at his casual use of the word _child_. I felt blessed to be accepted so completely into this wonderful family—but this family now included my baby, as far as I was concerned.

At the same time, his words sparked something in my brain—Esme, the mother. She had lost a child. She had loved it, and losing it had almost killed her. Well, technically speaking, it _did_ kill her.

She would take my side.

That was reassuring. I felt almost smug at the thought of the small victory.

I didn't have much time to mull it over, though, before I turned my head slightly and caught a glimpse of a perfect face and bronze hair at the door.

Edward was at my side in an instant.

His voice was low and gruff. "I'm sorry."

"I love you."

"You have no idea how much I love you."

This kiss wasn't… _painful_ the way our last had been. There was no tension, only the glorious feeling of reunion, despite the fact that he had only been gone for about a half an hour. His lips moved with mine gently, lovingly. I knew our issues were far from over; he was pushing his pain aside for the moment.

I, on the other hand, was filled with hope. I let the feeling pass through my lips, as if it could somehow be transferred to Edward, removing his fear and doubt.

I didn't want the kiss to end, and I was only vaguely aware of the fact that Carlisle had left the room to give us privacy. Our escape couldn't last forever, though. In our imaginary world, we could pretend like our hearts weren't breaking, but, sooner or later, we would have to face our reality.

I pulled away slowly.

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